Miranda Live: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ‘regrets’ talking about polls

PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull has admitted he regrets using a string of Newspoll defeats to justify rolling his predecessor Tony Abbott. He sat down last night with Miranda Devine as part of the innovative and groundbreaking Miranda Live internet radio show, broadcast on DailyTelegraph.com.au.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in the studio at News Corp Australia's Surry Hills office for the first Miranda Devine Live radio show. Picture: Jonathan Ng

PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull has admitted he regrets using a string of Newspoll defeats to justify rolling his predecessor Tony Abbott.

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He sat down last night with Miranda Devine as part of the innovative and groundbreaking Miranda Live internet radio show, broadcast on DailyTelegraph.com.au.

After congratulating Devine on her new venture, Mr Turnbull took questions from the public.

First up was: “If you reach 30 lost newspolls, are you going to do the honourable thing and step down?”.

Miranda Devine has launched her new internet radio program Miranda Live. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Mr Turnbull said he regrets talking about polls. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The PM, who is now close to closing in on a similar string of Newspoll defeats, said he

was committed to “delivering for the Australian people”, rather than focusing on polling data.

But he was forced to admit he regretted using the 30 Newspoll benchmark as a justification for going after Mr Abbot.

“I do regret having said it,” Mr Turnbull told the Daily Telegraph columnist, adding polls had become the focus rather than the reasons of economic leadership and governance that he gave for replacing Mr Abbott.

Devine and the Prime Minister talk politics. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“The substantive reasons I stated were related to economic leadership and governance.”

Mr Turnbull said he had two criticisms of Mr Abbott’s prime ministership: that his government was not providing the economic leadership the country needed, and that there was a lack of a traditional Cabinet-style government.

Miranda Live: Miranda Devine speaks with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

Mr Turnbull meets News Corp director of corporate affairs and editorial management Campbell Reid ahead of his appearance. Picture: David Swift.

On both counts, he said he believed he has delivered.

Miranda Live is back tomorrow and Wednesday.

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